Jogging device for piled sheets



Jan. 20, l1953 Flled June 9 1949 Jan. 20, 1953 N. GJosTElN JOGGING DEVICE FOR PILED SHEETS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 9. 1949 F'IG-3.

A TTOA/EYS Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE `Carton Corporation, North Bergen, N. J., a vcorporation of New York Application June 9, 1949, serial No. 98,051 Y Claims. 1

This invention relates to a new and improved registering device for automaticallylocating the top Vlayer of a pileof sheets of cardboard or the like in proper alinement with their edges coincident with each other. More especially the invention is concerned with aregisteringI device for preliminary alinement of the top layer of a pile of sheets in order to feed the sheets accurately from said pile, one by one, to mechanism by means of which certain subsequent operations, such as cutting and scoring, are performed on the sheets in order toform carton'blanks therein.

It is well-known to provide feeding mechanism having arms provided with suction cups for lifting successive top sheets froma vpile of sheets in order to successively feed the sheets to subsequent mechanism vfor' cutting and scoring operations and the like. It is'also well-known to blow air horizontally across and between the sheets in or'der to facilitate separation of the top sheet from the pile of sheets;

However,v sheets of cardboard are commonly delivered from the mill on wooden platforms or skids in -piles aggregating" as muc-h as 3,000 lbs. and the sheets are not disposed in proper/alinement. It is therefore`necessary to aline the sheets accuratelyv forfeeding purposes in some manner. Conventional feeding mechanisms usually include a vertical-Wall guide having a lateral flange by means of which the' sheets may be alined. with their corners-fitting' in the corner defined by the wall guide and its flange. The alinement of the sheets has proven' to be ra difficult and troublesome operation as a consequence of the great weight ofthe skid, the

lfriction between the sheets and their natural adherence to each other. Furthermore, the manual alinement of the sheets is slow, time-consuming, expensive and generally inaccurate.

According to the present'invention the sheets of 'thetop layer of theV skid are brought into the necessary alinement by vmeans of' simple and automaticmechanism which, moreover, may be conveniently installed onstandard feeding devices such as are :encountered in Ymachines of the well-knowntyp'e for cutting, scoring and filing blanks.

In order to aline the top layer of sheets, for example, a top layer three inches in height, a series of plungers'is provided. These fplungers are preferably actuated by airA cylinders connected to an air line controlled bya single turning'valv'e. The turning valve is actuated in order to admit air into the air cylinders during successive'predetermined intervals; suchas at intervals of 'one yminute or two minutes or the like. The-air cylinders and plungers are so arranged that some plungers will be disposed in front of the pile of sheets while some plungers (at least one) will act on one side of the pile.' When the turning valve admits compressed air to the respective air cylinders the plungers move in unison, so that the front plungers push rearwardly toward the'guide wall whilel the side plunger or plungers push sideways or against the `lateral guide-wall flange. At the completion of the respective strokesv of the plungers the top layer of the pile is accurately alined. After the top layer of the pile has been aligned (the height of the aligned layer corresponding tothe height of the plungers), the turning valve is actuated so as to exhaust the air from the air cylinders, whereupon the respective plungers are retracted.

The top sheets are removed, one by one, by' the well-known mechanism and the alinement operation is repeated yat vpredetermined intervals, so that the Asheets'in the top layer of the pile are always kept in perfect alinement for the feedingY mechanism.

The foregoing features of the invention as well as'additional objects and advantages of the invention will bereadily apparent in the course of they followingA detailed description taken in connectionwith' the accompanying' drawings whichV illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof and wherein:

Fig.' 1 is' a perspective View of the alining mechanism applied to a standard sheet-feeding device;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and y Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2'.

Fig. l illustrates Ia platform or skid l on which a pile of sheets S is mounted. This 'platform l is carried ony supports 2 which are raised by means of chains 3; two of said chains being arranged on both sides of frame F. Each of said chains meshes with a sprocket located in ya casing 4. Said sprockets (not'shown) are fixed to a shaft 5 which is mounted in suitable bearings provided in thestandards 6, The mechanism for rotating the shafts 5l and' elevating the skid I is disposed within housings 1 and is not shown; Standards 6 'support the frame F1.

The top la'yer Asheets Salon! skid I are -alined by means of a verticalvwall-guide or plate S having a top edge 8a and a bottom edge 8b. Said plate` ismade'bf' any suitable'rigid material and is fixed tothe vhousings-1 as by means'of screws 19;' A" lateral gui-'deillL` such as' an'an'gle iron, is preferably adjustably mounted on plate 8 by means of lugs II. Clamping screws I2 pass through slots I4 of said lugs and adjustably secure angle iron Ill to plate 8 by being threadedly engaged in tapped bores in said plate. Only a single lateral guide ID is provided for alining the sheets Sa and said guide is provided with a flange Illa', extending perpendicular to plate 8.

Fig. 2 illustrates the topmost sheet of the top layer Sa in aligned position. The top sheets of the layer Sa are brought into proper adjustment or alinement when they t angularly against both the pl-ate 8 and the guide iiange Ida. The top layer sheets Sa are pushed rearwardly against plate 8 by means of plungers I5 connected by means of piston rods I6 to pistons which are disposed in cylinders I1. Conventional return springs optionally aid in normally maintaining these pistons in their inner positions. Each cylinder I1 is provided with an inlet pipe I8 by means of which compressed air is supplied from a header I9 which is provided with a conventional air valve (not shown) disposed within casing 2D.

Means are provided for automatically actuating the air valve of casing 2D in order to open the valve for predetermined intervals of time for admitting air under pressure into pipes I8 and air cylinders I1 and I1a. This means may conveniently take the form of a solenoid tripping switch 2I. When said solenoid is energized the valve of casing 29 is operated and compressed air is supplied to the cylinders I1 and I1a to force their pistons outwardly against the force of said springs. Upon breaking the circuit to said solenoid the control valve in casing 20 is located so as to permit the air to be exhausted from the cylinders I1 and I1a. This valve is of the well-known two-way type which normally connects pipes I8 and the respective part of header I9 to the atmosphere. When said valve is operated, it shuts oi communication between pipes I8 and the respective part of header I9 to the left of casing 20 and thev atmosphere, and it connects header I9 to the source of compressed air. The electric circuit to the solenoid switch 2l is controlled by a time relay switch 22 or the like in order to maintain the plungers I in operative position for the required length of time. Other conventional inlet and outlet'means may alternatively be provided for introducing and exhausting compressed air into and from air cylinders I1 and I1a.

An important feature of the invention resides in the mounting arrangement for the air cylinders I1 and I1a whereby the respective plates I5 may adjust themselves to adjust the contour of the unalined edges of the top layer of the sheets to be aligned. Each of said cylinders is pivotally secured between a pair of supports or angle irons 23 depending from frames F, by means of trunnions 25. Of course, air supply lines I8, and IBa must be flexible to permit the slight pivotal movement of the air cylinders I1 and I1a. A return tension spring 25 serves to retract plunger I5 when the air is exhausted within the air cylinders. An additional tension spring 25 is secured at its lower end to a lug 21 of cylinder I1 and at its upper end to the frame F in order to counter-balance the weight of the cylinder I1 and the removable parts associated therewith. By reason of the described arrangement, it will be apparent thateach of the air cylinders I1 and I1la will automatically adjust itself to the unaligned edge contour of the top layer sheets Sa at the beginning'of the stroke of the reai spective plungers I5 as it contacts said top layer sheets. This arrangement is necessary to accurately register the sheets Sa in aligned position against the vertical plate 8 and the lateral guide flange Illa.

In the operation of the device let it be assumed that the piston rod IB is in the dotted line retracted position. f The piston carrying this rod is, of course, at the rear end or left-hand end of the cylinder and the center of gravity of the cylinder, piston, and the parts attached to and carried by the piston, is correspondingly shifted. This will cause the center of gravity to lie to the left (in Fig. 3) of the trunnions 24, 4and the piston and parts relating thereto will assume the 'broken line position because of the greater tension exerted on the spring 25. At this time the stack of sheets will probably have their edges mis-alined with an upper layer about opposite the broken line position of the plate I5. Upon the admission of air, the pistonrod II will be protracted and as the piston and rod move to the right, the center of gravity of the combination will shift until the tension Von the spring 25 causes the axis of the cylinder to lie horizontally. At about the time that'this horizontal position is assumed, the plate I5 contacts the uneven edges/of the upper layer of sheets shown at Sa, and the Viinal movement alines the mis-alined edges andpushes the pile engaged by the plate I5A to the right. Under these conditions, the cylinder tends to' tilt upwardly and the plate I5' engages on the top sheet of the remaining portion of the stack. If retracted under these conditions, the plate I5 would tend to pull the top sheet or sheets leftward, but as soon as retraction starts, the leftward shifting of the center of gravity in relation to the trunnion 24 raises the plate I5 slightly and suciently to ease contact between this plate and the top of the pile so that complete retraction of the plate may be made without disturbing the upper sheets of the-stack S.

Fig. 2 illustrates the cylinder' I1a disposed at one side of the frame F for positioning the top sheets Sa sideways against the flange Ida. Cylinder 11a and its associated elements are identical to those initially described for the front cylinders I1. Cylinder I1@ has a tension spring 26a corresponding to tension spring 25v and also has a return spring 25a for the plunger I5; which latter spring corresponds to return spring 25. Each of the return spring 25 and 25a has one end secured to an arm 28 which is pivoted at 29 to an extension of plunger I5, the opposite'end of the spring being fixedzto lug 21 ofthe respective air cylinder.` The upper end of the arm 28 is slidably received in a hole 29a formed in a xed frame member 35. Arm 28 serves to'guide plunger I5 forwardly in'horizontal' position, or in other words preventsr angular rotation of the plunger about the longitudinal axis ofthe cylin- -der while simultaneously allowing pivotal movement of the cylinder about its trunnions 24. Cylinder Iia has an air line I8a which is connected to header I9 in the same manner as the 'air lines I8 for cylinders I1.

Suction cups 30 are provided for successively raising the topmost 'sheet 'ofV the top layerY Sa after said top layer has been alined. Each suction cup is provided with a suction cylinder 32, containing a piston (not shown) which is `fixed to said suction cup in'order toelevate the topmost sheet. Cylinders 32 are providedwith air lines '3.3`which are connectedto a main, suction line (notfshown).v Suction cups-*30 operate -in the "well-known' mannerto successively fraise; the topmost sheets fromthe'aligned' top layer Sa'- and to' feedi'said'sheetsto thefeed`l rollers 3-andf31.

In order yto 'facilitate'the lifting action iof suction cups"30, a'pair-of ai'r'nozzl'es 3l ispr'ovide'd for delivering a blast of air which serves to separate the topmost sheet from the top layer Sa. The two air nozzles 3| are provided with supply lines 3Ia and are required only at the exposed front corners of the top sheet, as shown, in Figs. 1 and 2.

Since certain modifications may be made in the device of the present invention without departing from the scope thereof it is intended that all matter contained inthe foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawing be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. Jogging means for alining the top layer of sheets in a stack of sheets, said jogging means comprising a support, an air cylinder which is pivotably attached to said support so as to be turnable in a substantially vertical plane, said cylinder tending to turn in one direction, spring means attached between said cylinder and said support and adapted to tend to turn said cylinder in the opposite direction whereby to tend to maintain said cylinder in a substantially horizontal position, a piston slidably disposed within said cylinder and extending out of one end thereof, the outer end of said piston having a transverse plate mounted thereon and normally positioned proximate to a side face of said top layer of sheets, and means for moving said piston outwardly so that said plate bears against said side face of said top layer of sheets, said cylinder tending to turn so as to maintain said plate in abutment with said side face during the outward movement of said piston.

2. Jogging means for alining the top layer sheets in a stack of sheets, said jogging means comprising a support, an air cylinder which has a front end and a rear end, said cylinder being pivotably attached adjacent its front end to said support so as to be turnable in a substantially vertical plane and tending to turn in a counterclockwise direction, first spring means attached between said support and said cylinder intermediate its rear end and its point of attachment to said support, said first spring means tending to move said rear end of said cylinder in a clockwise direction around said point of attachment of said cylinder to said support whereby said cylinder is substantially horizontal, a piston slidably disposed within said cylinder and extending out of the front end thereof, a transverse plate attached to the outer end of said piston, a rod pivotally attached to said piston adjacent the outer end thereof, said rod being pivotable in a vertical plane, said support having an opening through which said rod extends loosely, second spring means attached between said cylinder and a point on said rod intermediate said hole in said support and the point of said pivotable attachment of said rod to said piston, said second spring means tending to move said rod toward said cylinder, a flexible air hose communicating with the interior of said cylinder between said piston and said rear end of said cylinder, and means for alternately forcing compressed air through said air hose into said cylinder, whereby to drive said piston outwardly, and permitting said compressed 6 air to escape 'from saidlcylinder-lth-rough said air hose, whereby to -permitsaidipistom to;:retr'act, said piston in its retracted positionfrhaving its plate positioned proximatef-to, aside-face of said top layer of sheets, said 'plate bearing against said side face while being'moved to its outward position, saidcylinderv tending toa turn so* as'- to maintain said plate in abutment with said side face during the outward movement of said piston.

3. Jogging means for alining the top layer of sheets in a stack of sheets, said jogging means comprising a frame, a pair of supports depending from said frame, a cylinder trunnioned between said supports at a point adjacent one end of said cylinder, said cylinder being turnable in a vertical plane and tending to turn in a counterclockwise direction, a spring connecting said frame to a point on said cylinder between its other end and the point of attachment of said cylinder to said supports, said spring tending to move said cylinder in a clockwise direction whereby said cylinder is normally substantially horizontal, a piston slidably disposed in said cylinder and extending out of said one end thereof, said piston having a normal inward position in which it is proximate to and substantially transverse to a side face of said top layer of sheets, and means for moving said piston outwardly whereby it bears against said top layer of sheets.

4. Jogging means for alining the top layer of sheets in a stack of sheets and including a vertical support, a normally horizontal air cylinder having its forward end pivotally connected to said support, tension spring connecting the rear position of said cylinder to the upper part of said support and urging said rear end upwardly, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rod carried by said piston and projecting from the forward end of said cylinder, a head xed on said rod and having a sheet contacting face perpendicular to the axis of said rod, means for moving said piston rod outwardly whereby said head bears against said top layer of sheets, said spring being so tensioned that the cylinder will lie in horizontal position upon the piston being protracted and with its rear end biased downwardly upon retraction of said rod, and spring means urging said rod to retracted position.

5. Jogging means for alining the top layer of sheets in a stack of sheets and including a vertical support, a normally horizontal air cylinder having its forward end pivotally connected to said support, tension spring connecting the rear position of said cylinder to the upper part of said support and urging said rear end upwardly, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rod carried by said piston and projecting fro-m the forward end of said cylinder, a head xed on said rod and having a sheet contacting face perpendicular to the axis of said rod, means for moving said piston rod outwardly whereby said head bears against said top layer of sheets, said spring being so tensioned that the cylinder will lie in horizontal position upon the piston being protracted and with its rear end biased downwardly upon retraction of said rod, a bracket extending from said support above said opening and having a horizontal leg provided with an opening, a rod extending loosely through said opening and having its lower end pivoted to said head, and a tension spring connecting the rear end of said cylinder to said last rod between said bracket and head.

NILS GJOSTEIN.

(References on following page) 8 REFERENCES CITED Number Y Name ate The following references are of record Vin the 1361366 Knowlton June 5 1934 me "f this patent" g Mr' 122 1333 oe ar.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 v2,128,316 Paul Aug. 3o, 1938 Number Name f Date 42,265,617 Yates Dec. 9, 1941 1,693,928 Labombarde De. 4, 1928 2,401,592 Von Stocker June 4; 1946 

